1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a process for producing confections, such as Marzipan or Persipan, from seed vessels. The term "seed vessels" as employed herein refers to nut meats and to fruit pits, such as apricot pits. Marzipan basically consists of almonds and sugar, while Persipan is basically made from apricot pits and sugar. A chocolate exterior is frequently provided. In order to prepare such confections, the nuts or pits are ground to small particles or, if preferred, into a fine powder. Sugar is added and the resultant mixture is kneaded and heated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional techniques for the production of confections from seed vessels involve washing, shelling and comminuting the seed vessels to particles of about 3-6 mm in diameter. Sugar is added, and the resultant mixture is conveyed over a roller frame to an open roasting chamber. In the roasting chamber, the mixture is heated to a high temperature, generally up to 95.degree. C. The purpose of this heating is to sterilize the mixture, and to evaporate a certain amount of the water content of the mixture.
At the present time, it is conventional to indirectly heat the mass of seed vessels and sugar in an open roasting chamber, in which the mass is in contact with the ambient atmosphere. A sterilizing temperature is maintained for about 30 minutes, during which time manual operations are required. The contact of the mass with the ambient atmosphere and the requisite manual operations present the menace of contamination of the mass. The heated mass is then cooled to about 50.degree. C, for another period of about 30 minutes, usually through the medium of cold water or brine. Then the mass is dried. At the end of this process, the mass of seed vessels and sugar is ready for packing.
The conventional techniques are primarily disadvantageous because of the large amount of time which must be invested in carrying out the process. This time cannot be reduced in the known process, because of the need to sterilize the mass. A basic disadvantage of the conventional techniques is that the contact of the mass with the ambient atmosphere is a practice which is incompatible with modern standards of hygiene. The requisite manual operations furnish still another source of possible contamination. A further disadvantage follows from the excessive amount of energy which is lost to the ambient atmosphere during the slow duration of the conventional techniques. Also, the means for conveying the mass requires intensive control; for such a minor part of the production process, this magnitude of control is very expensive. A still further disadvantage results from the requisite preliminary crushing of the seed vessels before beginning the conventional techniques. Still another disadvantage is that the comminuting equipment of the conventional techniques are subject to a great deal of wear and tear, at least 80% of which is attributable to the grinding of sugar.